(Sold) This is a full-size, Blue Diamond Parker 51 Vacumatic fountain pen in Blue Cedar, with a 14k gold-filled cap, and a 14k gold Fine nib. The pen has been restored, which included a complete disassembly, a gentle, but thorough, cleaning, an overhaul of the filling mechanism, ink flow adjustment, a nib tune-up, and a gentle polish with a soft cloth (by hand).

Since today is Thanksgiving, a special day for millions of Americans, I thought I'd celebrate the occasion with a special pen. The year 1947 was interesting at Parker. It marked the introduction of the Demi Vacumatic (a cute, though short-lived pen), the beginning of the phase-out of the 51 Vacumatic, and the discontinuation of the Blue Diamond warranty program. These "transitional" pens are somewhat rare, and valuable among collectors. Even if you're not particularly keen on the pen's heritage, you'll probably agree that the 1947 Parker 51 Vacumatic I'm offering today is a gorgeous pen.

The pen is simply flawless, beautiful! Made of the vibrant Blue Cedar plastic, with a 14k gold-filled cap, decorated with a subtle guilloché pattern, and a partially gold-filled clutch. The awesome thing about the 51 is that despite its long, rich history, its prevalence at pen shows, its well-known features, it manages to look every bit as modern as it did back in the 1940s. A truly timeless design, the 51 has proven to be a faithful companion for millions of people over the decades.

It's a rare pen that fits virtually any writing scenario. Do you need a pen to write a novel with? Sign your marriage license with? Take it with you on your honeymoon? Use it to take notes with in college? Jot down lab notes? Take advantage of its large ink capacity for your urban sketching? Need to practice penmanship? Keep it by your side, doodle with when you need the reassuring calm of your favorite fountain pen?

This particular pen writes a fantastic Fine line of about 0.4 mm (on my paper), which makes it a superb all-rounder. The nib has a large sweet spot and is fairly forgiving of one's handwriting technique quirks (we all have them!). It is tuned to write at the lightest pressure, but will take a heavy hand in stride. The long, slightly tapered section, makes it ideal to hold for people with unconventional grips (e.g., left-handed overwriters, "death grip" users, etc.), and it can be used equally well whether it's posted or not. The filling mechanism works efficiently and holds a lot of ink (up to 1.7 ml in my test).